Windows 7 Windows 7 - ReadyBoost & Virtualization

[relliott66]

First - Merry Christmas to all!

I have a Win 7 64bit notebook with 8GB of RAM already in place. I wanted to increase the RAM so that I could run a LOT of Win Srv 2008 R2 VMware (may do ESX within VMware workstation or may just go straight to VMware server 2.xx and work it like that) VMs at the same time. I thought ReadyBoost would be my solution so I purchased 2 16GB USB thumb drives, formatted with NTFS and set them up for ReadyBoost. I go to check my RAM, thinking that it would increase the available RAM for the system, and see that it is still only showing 8GB.

So, I guess my understanding of the ReadyBoost was wrong. My question is, will it still help me since it would still be using the caching or should I just go ahead and utilize the thumbdrives for something else and just pop in an additional 8GB SD card that I have on hand? If what I am seeing is correct, I wouldn't be able to allocate the additional "memory" to the VMs. Or am I wrong there as well?

Thanks in advance for your input and help
Russ

 

[epk1950]

No the readyboost is not Ram Memory Modules, they are usb sticks as you know, and there for, the OS uses the thumb sticks as caching for qiucker startup of games, browser, adobe, gimp, etc "apps". You cannot dedicate the ready boost like how you may with VirtualMachines to you ram memory modules to use memory. But I think using the two 16 gig usb's for readyboost would improve your virtual machine or machines.

 

[cybercore]

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/readyboost.aspx
ReadyBoost - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Explore the features: SuperFetch
Windows Vista I/O technologies - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[relliott66]

Cybercore - I had read both of those prior to logging in here and asking. As well as many other sites. Didn't answer my specific question unless I completely overlooked it.

epk1950 - yeah, def not RAM modules. Just wasn't sure whether it would change what the OS saw as available mem.

Thanks for both of your inputs. Guess I will go ahead and leave the readyboost running, create the VMs and see what happens. Will also try it without the thumb drives to see what the difference is, if any, in responsiveness. Will share what I find when done.

Thanks again

 

[reghakr]

If you have 8GB or RAM or better, readyboost does no good.

 

[relliott66]

If you have 8GB or RAM or better, readyboost does no good.

Why wouldn't it? Just outta curiosity. I figured with the demands the multiple VMs would be making that it would help and according to what I read you can put in up to 256GB or so of ReadyBoost memory, regardless of how much RAM you have pre-installed, so why allow it if it isn't going to be useful? Really, just trying to learn more about it Thanks.

<Off topic>
Running Posi on the rear end of that beauty and what's under the hood?

 

[reghakr]

Do you search of is readyboost good it on Google

I had to do this for another post, so to be fair do a search for is readyboost bad

Draw your own conclusions.

That Nova is not mine, I have a true matching numbers 1971 Nova SS w/383 stroker. Yep 4:11 gears posi-track